1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an appliance automation system, device, and power monitoring method utilizing the same, and pertains particularly to a hybrid power line/wireless appliance automation system capable of not only providing wide data transmission/communication coverage within/across isolated electric power distribution circuits but also enabling appliance automation/control and power monitoring functions.
2. Description of Related Art
The concept of utilizing home automation/management systems to integrate and monitor household electronic devices has become increasingly appealing. With this in mind, modern buildings are often designed/constructed with built-in features that are specifically incorporated to accommodate current (or even future) computer networking infrastructures.
However, buildings of older generation often do not support such capability. Particularly, if a household network is to be installed in these old buildings, physical network lines or wireless networks are generally adopted as means for connectivity. Nevertheless, the installation of physical network lines in these old buildings is almost always an effort-taking engineering feast, not to mention the often fragile original structural outlines thereof may be irreversibly damaged. On the other hand, even if wireless network is adopted in the attempt to preserve the original structural outline of the architecture, communication dead zone existed between wireless coverage is often difficult to remove, thus increasing the difficulty in implementing home automation/management system therein.
In addition, electric power distribution circuits of the old buildings are either embedded in walls or nailed on the walls. It is not easy for a common user to note whether the electric power distribution circuits are too old and the quality of distribution lines, thus a safety problem of using a household electronic device is easy to happen.